Annual Report of the Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago 2012-2013 Annual Report 2012-2013 | Page 18

Appointments of Judicial Officers To qualify for appointment as a High Court Judge, a candidate should have at least 10 years’ standing as an Attorney at Law. High Court Judges who have sat on the Bench for at least three years, and Attorneys at Law of at least 15 years standing, are eligible for appointment to the Court of Appeal. Candidates for appointment as Masters of the High Court and Magistrates must have a minimum of seven years and five years standing as an Attorney at Law respectively. Sections 102 and 104 of the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago outline the procedures by which judicial officers are to be appointed. The Chief Justice is appointed by the President after consultation with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. The Chief Justice, as Head of the Judiciary, occupies, in the order of precedence, the third highest office in Trinidad and Tobago. By virtue of his position as Chief Justice, he is also President of the Court of Appeal, an ex-officio Judge of the High Court, and Chairman of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC). Under the Constitution, the JLSC is charged with the task of appointing Justices of Appeal, High Court Judges, Masters of the High Court, Magistrates, Registrars of the Supreme Court, and the Administrative Secretary to the Chief Justice, all of whom are judicial officers. Five persons comprise the JLSC, including the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, one person who served as a Judge, and two persons with legal qualifications. Both the Chief Justice and the Chairman of the Public Service Commission are ex-officio members. The present members of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission are: Chairman: The Honourable Chief Justice Mr Justice Ivor Archie (ex-officio member) Members: Dr Marjorie Thorpe Chairman of the Public Services Commission (ex-officio member) 16 Reshaping the Judiciary Identity Madame Justice Annestine Sealy (retired Judge) Mr Justice Roger Hamel Smith (retired Judge) Mr David Patrick, Attorney at Law Madame Justice Sealy and Dr Thorpe assumed their seats on the JLSC during the past year filling vacancies created by the departure of former Chairman of the Public Services Commission, Mr Christopher Thomas, and retired High Court Judge, Madame Justice Jean Permanand. Madame Justice Sealey served as a Judge of the High Court between 1990 and 1997, and was also Principal of the Hugh Wooding Law School. Dr Thorpe assumed the position of Chairman of the Public Services Commission recently. Our Stakeholders The Judiciary’s stakeholder group is diverse and representative of the various facets of the administration of justice. The stakeholder group comprises our customers, justice stakeholders, various Ministries and Departments of the Executive arm of the State, the Legislature, and various trade unions. Customers Our customers are our main stakeholders and comprise of litigants, attorneys and members of the public who request the services of the Judiciary. Justice Stakeholders The justice stakeholders comprise of the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago; the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; and the Law Revision Commission. Executive The Judiciary’s key stakeholders from the Executive are many in number, and are primarily responsible for providing the funding, material resources and non-legal human resources for Judiciary operations. In addition to this role, the Judiciary works together with various Ministries and Government departments to review and comment on national policies with a view to ensuring that said policies can be effectively implemented given the Judiciary’s mandate and needs. The Judiciary also works in partnership with relevant Ministries and Government departments on various initiatives, programmes and projects for which either the expertise exists, where the initiative is cross functional in nature, or when statute or policy so dictates. Legislature The Legislature as represented by the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago is a critical stakeholder with the responsibility for making laws. As a stakeholder, the Judiciary is dependent on the Legislature for enacting the appropriation of its annual estimates of expenditures. Trade Unions The trade unions representing our staff - the Public Services Association and the National Union of Government and Federated Workers - constitute an important stakeholder whose main mandate is to protect the rights of workers, and is recognized as a key resource in building the Judiciary’s human capital.